Prep Softball: Sulphur strong in Sperry Tournament victory

Coach Heath Gilbert wanted to test his team against schools from the northern part of the state, and the Bulldogs were up to the challenge. Sulphur didn't allow more than four runs in a game until the final, defeating Pawhuska 11-4, Sperry 6-1 and Dewey 4-1.

"We started last year because so many of the teams in 3A in the Tulsa area are ranked in the top 10," said Gilbert of playing Tulsa-area tournaments. "Those are the teams you're gonna have to play and beat in the state tournament.

"It paid off for us last year and hopefully it makes us even better for this run."

Sulphur (25-4) dominated in the championship game, run-ruling Verdigris in five innings. Allie Saunders allowed just two hits in the circle, and Reilly Williams and Hali Gilbert each had a double and an RBI.

Harlee Griffis finished off an outstanding tournament with a 3-for-3 day, four runs scored and an RBI. Griffis had two hits or more in three of Sulphur's four games.

Saunders only gave up three hits combined against Dewey and Sperry, and Haley White was 3-for-3 in a blowout of Pawhuska.

"They came up here and played their hearts out, showed a little Southern Oklahoma softball," Gilbert said. "Allie (Saunders) pitched well and Harlee Griffis was on fire the whole tournament. We're really building for the playoffs."

Dickson wins 3 of 4 at DurantDURANT — Dickson continued its climb back to .500 with three wins in four games at the Durant tournament Friday and Saturday.

The Comets started 3-0 with wins against Bennington 14-1, Valliant 5-3 and McAlester 12-11, before losing to Duncan 5-0.

Madison Rozzell tossed a three-inning no-hitter against Bennington and the Comets' offense posted 14 hits. Kamryn Adams was 3-for-3 with two RBIs and two runs scored and Kelsie Bidwell homered for Dickson. Bryttni Gardner and Nikki Faulkner each had two hits.

Dickson scored all five of its runs in the fourth inning against Valliant. The Comets only had four hits, but found other ways to take the lead.

Brittany Wood's RBI walk with the bases loaded starting the scoring, and Jacie Battles scored on a passed ball to give Dickson a 2-0 lead. Rozzell added a two-run triple and Abby McLaughlin followed with an RBI single.

Against McAlester, Dickson survived a shootout. The Comets scoed 11 runs in the first two innings, but McAlester put up seven runs in the top of the third to tie the game at 11-all.

With one out in the third, Tori Crook reached base on an error to bring home Faulkner with the winning run. McLaughlin was 2-for-3 with three RBIs — including a two-run double in the second — Jacie Battle had three RBIs and Bidwell drove in two runs.

In their final game, Duncan's Corrina Rivas locked down the Dickson lineup with 11 strikeouts and only one hit allowed in six innings.

Rozzell struck out seven and walked two in six innings for Dickson in the loss.

Marietta drops four at DurantDURANT — Marietta went 0-4 at the Durant tournament, losing each game by four runs or fewer.

The Indians fell 4-0 to Broken Bow, 11-7 to Durant, 6-4 to Kingston and 5-1 to Plainview. Against Broken Bow, Landry Willis gave up four runs in the first inning, but held the Savages scoreless for four innings. Willis struck out five and walked three in the loss, and Logan Willis had two of Marietta's four hits.

Marietta had to fight back from a 9-0 deficit against Durant after just one inning. The Indians had nine hits, paced by Shelby Langston going 3-for-3 with two doubles and two RBIs. Shawna Dewey and Kilee Spanglo each had two hits for Marietta.

Marietta led 4-2 after three innings against Kingston, but the Redskins shut the Indians out in the final three innings. In the fourth, Shannon Lane tied the game with a two-run double and Kristen Self scored on an error to put Kingston ahead for good.

Self was 3-for-4 with four runs scored and Taylor Freeman had two RBIs for Kingston. Logan Willis and Kendra McClendon each had two hits for Marietta.

Against Plainview, Tayte Sampson gave up nine hits but held Marietta to just one run over seven innings. Kaylee Roskam led Plainview with three hits, two RBIs and two runs scored.

Lone Grove places 3rd in DurantDURANT — A few plays separated Lone Grove from the championship game of the Durant tournament, as the Longhorns went 3-2 on the weekend.Lone Grove's only losses came 1-0 to Duncan and 3-1 to Broken Bow in the tournament's third-place game.

"We didn't play as well as we could, had crucial errors," Lone Grove coach Jimmy Miller said. "Duncan is pretty good, but we had chances in that game, too.

Against Rattan, Lone Grove had 10 hits and took advantage of five Rattan errors. Raley Long had three hits and Cheyanna Stepp added two and two runs scored.

Duncan scored its lone run in the first inning on a sacrifice fly. Lone Grove's Madi Baughman and Duncan's Corrina Rivas went head to head for six innings, with Baughman allowing just three hits and Rivas allowing four. Rivas finished with 12 strikeouts.

Western Heights committed 10 errors and Lone Grove got an RBI each from Long, Tanner Gray, Harley McCutchen and Beth Hallum. Allison Bolles pitched a three-hitter over six innings, striking out three.

Baughman held Valliant to one hit over six innings, striking out five and walking none. Haley McCutchen was 2-for-4 with two runs scored for the Longhorns.

In the third-place game against Broken Bow, Lone Grove outhit the Savages 6-4, but also committed six errors in the loss.

Long had two hits and Haley McCutchen drove in a run against Broken Bow. The Longhorns, ranked seventh in Class 4A, improved to 20-7.